focus
by hypotheticalfanfic
Summary: Luna can't focus in class, not with Ginny Weasley on her mind. Luna/Ginny, with surprise bonus ship!


"Miss Lovegood?"

Luna's head shot up. "What?" She looked around the room in panic. Everyone was looking at her, waiting for her to have the answer like always. "Yes. Er…I am sorry, Professor Flitwick. What was the question?" She heard the other Ravenclaws begin to snicker, and she hung her head. A Hufflepuff boy sitting next to her patted her on the shoulder, but that just made her face flame even hotter in embarrassment.

Professor Flitwick gave her a concerned look, but resumed lecturing as if nothing had happened. Luna stared at her paper, trying to fight back the heat on her face; that was when she noticed the letters writing themselves in the corner of her notes. _See me after class, Miss Lovegood. — F._ Luna stifled a groan.

—-

As the rest of the class filed out, Luna avoided everyone's gaze. Their curious glances and whispered questions just made her more ashamed of herself. When the last Hufflepuff had shuffled out of the room, she finally looked up from her paper.

Professor Flitwick was sitting on the box he used to reach the shelves along the wall, and when he saw that she was looking up, he hopped down and scurried toward her.

"Miss Lovegood," he said, sitting beside her, "I am a bit concerned with your performance lately. You've been staring into space, not keeping up with your reading…it is most unbecoming to a Ravenclaw, and especially one as talented as yourself." He peered over his spectacles at her. "Is there something the matter?"

Luna stared back at him. _What do I say? "No, Professor, I will work harder" like I told Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape? Or worse, the truth? "Yes, Professor, I am in love with a girl who is in love with Harry Potter, and did you know that I like girls? Because I do." Then everyone will know and everyone will laugh at me even more, and she will find out and never speak to me again._ Before she could stop herself, Luna heard her voice saying, "No, Professor, I am sorry. I will work harder to…"

He waved his hand impatiently. "Don't lie, Miss Lovegood. I know you well enough at this point to know when you're lying, which isn't often. I am your Head of House, after all." His face looked shrewd all of a sudden, and he began to tell a story.

_"__Once upon a time, when I was a much younger man, I was offered a job at Hogwarts and jumped at the chance. Not many schools wanted me, you know, with my questionable heritage, but the headmaster here was more interested in my exam scores than anything else, thankfully. So I rode the train as far as it went, and boarded a carriage pulled by something invisible. And there, in the carriage with me, was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. She was taller than me, of course, but her hair and eyes…She wore it short then, just as she does now, although of course it wasn't gray yet. Her eyes, though, were what really drew me. They were golden, you know, like a cat's, and piercing, the kind of eyes that knew everything about you in an instant. Yes, Miss Lovegood, Madam Hooch. Rolanda, as I knew her then. She was just starting as Quidditch referee, first-year broom teacher, the lot. I found it odd, you know, since she had been at Hogwarts quite a few years before I had, but I suppose that's the price you pay for becoming so skilled in your field. Besides, I've always found the company of older people more interesting than those my own age. No, Miss Lovegood, she never returned my feelings. I wonder sometimes if I asked her now, having learned to be friends, if things wouldn't be different…"_

"But that is beside the point, Miss Lovegood." He sat up straight from where he had been lounging, lost in memory. "The point is, I understand the temptation to let unrequited love interfere with one's life and work. However, as a student in my House — one of my most talented students, I might add — I simply cannot allow your heart to cloud your mind. Moon over love on your own time, Miss Lovegood, not mine." The tiny professor left his seat and walked away, calling over his shoulder, "And if Ginny Weasley can't see your feelings, it's a good thing she's no Ravenclaw."


End file.
